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A New Bill to Benefit Dental Patients

   Many new technologies are constantly being added to the medical and dental worlds. For example, Telehealth allows patients to access healthcare via the digital world, such as with a phone or computer. This in turn, has produced something called “Direct-to-consumer” care, or DTC. With this, patients can receive orthodontic care without visiting the dentist.

Direct-To-Consumer

   Unfortunately, this convenience does not come without cost. According to the CDA, “Providing dental care to patients, especially moving teeth, without sufficient diagnostic information can potentially lead to serious patient harm, including loose or cracked teeth, gum recession and tooth loss. With emerging business models offering various dental services outside of a dental office’s four walls, including companies that provide direct-to-consumer orthodontic services, it is imperative that dental treatment continues to meet the standards of care.” It was further stated, “DTC orthodontic companies that are putting profits before patients by taking potentially unsafe shortcuts to the accepted standards of care.” In response to this, there is a new bill to benefit dental patients.

A New Bill to Take Effect

   The AB 1519 assembly bill was recently signed into law and fully supported by the CDA. When this bill takes effect in January 2020, what will it accomplish? Please notice the following.

  • A dentist must review a patient’s recent X-rays before teeth are moved through orthodontic treatment. Both dental offices and telehealth companies offering dental care will follow this as the accepted standard of care.

  • Traditional dental offices provide patients with their doctor’s basic information. Likewise, a patient will receive such things as a dentist’s full name and state license number with DTC care.

  • A patient is able to submit a complaint about a licensee to the dental board. It does not matter whether or not an arbitration clause or nondisclosure agreement has been signed.

Best in Patient Care

   Without a doubt, leaps and bounds have been made in the name of technology. As you can see however, this has also created some issues for patients. At Oceanside Dental, our goal is to educate our patients and provide the best in patient care.